Moo’s Craft Barbecue - Los Angeles

Finally, someone who knows how to use a smoker! 

Wow, this Brisket. Fall-apart, just the right meat-to-fat ratio in every slice, deep smoke through and through. Pork Belly Burnt Ends are perfect as well, oozing with a sweet Korean-style glaze. 

Everything here is so flavorful, savory all the way through, no details have been missed. Even the pickles have a kick, and the sweet and tangy bbq sauce and mustard are both great for saucing up the Pulled Pork, which, while juicy and tender, doesn't quite reach the depth of the other two. 

The sides are a lie. Sure, the Slaw is lovely, with just the right combination of creaminess and tang, but if I only had the Beans with some rice as a meal, I would have given Moo's 5 stars on that alone. They’re too good to be just a side, flavored with abundant brisket bits and a warmly spicy zing. 

BEST bbq in LA. This one could actually stand up to some of the stuff I've seen from Texas, and every bite is exceptional. There's a lunch line out the door even on a Friday, and there's a reason they sell out fast. 

Truth BBQ - Houston, TX

Everyone has a pandemic vice, and not all of them are bad. Covid has created many a sommelier, I'm sure, and for others it's a healthy new hobby like hiking or an anxiety-alleviator like gardening or crochet. 

My vice is a map of mail-order barbecue from legends such as Snow's and staples such as Truth. 

We get a bit of a sampler, and as usual, start with some Sausage. This casing has a real snap to it, the most pop of any I've had. That meat is juice-dripping so revel in those rivulets of liquid pork. Goes good with some of their semi-sweet Stay Gold Mustard. 

Racking up some points are the Truth Ribs, tender outside and crimson within. Strong smoke, though they do have to be torn off the bone with very little force. I dig this rib rub, but smearing a little of the OG BBQ Sauce on top will do. It's a thin sweet-water, and it gives that black pepper seasoning a little lift. 

The White Lightnin' sauce is as it sounds; about as thick as it can get without becoming a solid, a ranch dressing where mayo subs for milk. Smear on just about anything for a rich hit of something smooth to balance out the smoke and salt. Pro tip: Spread some on a chicken biscuit-sandwich and the result is electric. 

Alright, I already like Truth, but my truth lies in the Brisket. A hard-packed pec of hulky heifer, a notoriously difficult cut, a challenge-accepted by the star pitmasters of the Lone Star State. Meat melts on the tongue under a gooey girdle of fusing fat as smoke permeates the palate.

Truth be told, I still prefer Snow's, but I don't know if I could easily pick a favorite if I compared them side by side. Almost alike yet each with its own distinct and spectacular style. Same-same but oh-so different.

Heritage Barbecue - San Juan Capistrano, CA

Texas 'cue in Capistrano plucked from local celebrity and overall obscurity by Michelin's Bib Gourmand. It's a gift and a curse, having places like this one so close yet so far away. Instead of a sleep-in Saturday, we're out the door at 9 AM for lineup at 11 to compete for the meat.

They have a bit of everything, so check out this crazy tray. Big bites like the Beef Rib and Brisket are big on flavor and silky with marbled fat. Smoke is no joke for a star of dixie, and I will say they're a lot less smoky than my mail-order from Texas institutions like Truth and Snow's. Overall just fabulous, but under-all not as big as Texas. 

They may be big on beef, but don't forget the pork. Their Pulled Pork is perfection, an arguable equal when all is said and done. 

Ribs fall off the bone, and the seasoning has some style. Sides like this crazy-good cavatappi Mac & Cheese are boosted by chicharron, and the fluffy-fresh Biscuit is incredible.

I wish they had some sausage, but they have the Swedish Meatball instead. It looks real pretty, but it's loaded with salt and little else. That pretty gray gravy is more of the same, and I can't believe they skipped sausage for this. 

Roast Vegetables are our side, and they really made this into something special. The bed of gooey cheese makes it rich, and the smoke does a dance on the palate. On a menu full of rich, heavy things, I would have been fine with just plain veggies, though I do love what they did with these. 

Their overall smoke isn’t as strong but they do deliver a taste of Texas. It's a sampling of a Lone Star tradition from San Juan Capistrano, a standing Socal reminder that when it comes to food, you don't mess with Texas. 

Snow’s BBQ - Lexington, TX

I’m from North Carolina, come on and raise up, and I can tell you firsthand that the barbecue feud with Texas is fierce. Houses divide, families flail, and friendships are forsaken all in the battle between whole hog with sauce vs smoke n’ salt.

It may be sacrelig for someone like me to be praising Texas, but kick me out of Carolina if you must because Snow’s is a national treasure.

I can’t travel to Lexington anytime soon, but even covid don’t mess with Texas. Come hell or high water (or a deadly virus threatening to kill us all), Snow’s still finds a way to overnight ship their smoky magic. The shipping fee is only fifty, and the rate is flat so get all you can. It all comes vacuum-packed so it’s good for 6 months in a freezer.

We started with their Original Sausage, biting into a casing both thin and crisp. There’s an audible pop as your teeth break through, and the ground filling is savory and moist. The meaty bits are myriad and you can see the different colors and textures throughout. It’s made with a shovel-sized scoop of black pepper which adds some attitude, sassy as a southern drawl.

The Brisket is the main event - it’s what made them a legend. To quote a Netflix critic, “something magic happens inside that aluminum foil.” Cut yourself a slice and you’ll see that the smoke makes perfect oval ring, encircling all the marbled morsels of lattice-work fat.

Their brisket may be legend, the Ribs steal the show. The smoke is so thorough, that the inside is ruby-red smoked all the way through. The meat doesn't just fall off the bones, it slides right off like silk. And the meat is so flavorful it doesn’t even need a sauce. 

I’ve defended my beloved Carolina barbecue more than I care to count, but I will always bow to Snow’s. They’re declared the best in Texas, but I wonder if their ribs are the best in the world.